Truck blocks traffic at busy Karuma Bridge

NWOYA/KIRYANDONGO- Hundreds of travellers were on Monday stranded for several hours after a truck broke down on Karuma Bridge blocking traffic.

Eye witnesses said the trailer driver who was travelling from Kampala to Juba, the capital of South Sudan lost control of the heavy vehicle but managed to stop it from plunging into the fast flowing River Nile.

Mr Martin Aliker, a passenger who was travelling from Kampala to Gulu told Daily Monitor in a telephone interview that more than 100 vehicles got stuck on the two sides of the bridge crossing.

He said that one of the trailers of the truck occupied a big section of the bridge.

Mr Aliker said the rail guards on the bridge saved the truck from plunging into the river.

“So many people are stranded at the moment because the road has been blocked by the truck. No vehicle can access the road except pedestrians and boda boda cyclists,” Mr Aliker said.

Mr Charles Okello, the Kiryandongo District Police Commander said the truck failed to climb a steep section after the bridge forcing it to reverse towards the bridge.

He noted that the truck was heavily loaded with assortment of merchandize.

Mr Okello said a crane was hired to remove the truck to restore normal traffic flow on the road.

“The driver managed to control the truck and it rested on the rail guards of the bridge. There is no cause for alarm since the truck was safely removed; no one has been injured in the accident,” Mr Okello said.

Early this month, three people died after a truck they were travelling in plunged into the Nile waters at Karuma Bridge.

The truck laden with dry cassava chips was reportedly travelling from Paidah town in Nebbi District to Hoima District.

In February, a lorry carrying cotton seeds from the Democratic Republic of Congo plunged into Karuma Falls in Kiryandongo District.

The driver of the truck survived the accident with minor injuries.

In 2000, a bus belonging to Gateway Bus company plunged into the River Nile waters at the Karuma Bridge, killing at least 11 people.